[SC.LUG] MFS Meeting. Tue, 16 Sept. Talk: "Running a Free Software support business"

[Michael Dorrington]

Please feel free to forward this to those that would welcome it.

NOTE: This meeting is at a different location to normal!

* Event: Manchester Free Software's September Meeting
* Talk: "Running a Free Software support business" by Des Gregory

* Date: Tuesday, 16th September 2014 (3rd Tuesday of the month)
* Start time: 19:00
* Finish time: 20:30 (and then on for drinks)

* Location: New Federation House
* Walk-through:
http://madlab.org.uk/content/details-of-our-temporary-location-during-the-refurb/

* Address: New Federation House. M60 0AF.
  - Dantzic Street entrance, not the main NFH entrance.
  - http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/53.48599/-2.23960

Details
-------
The purpose of Manchester Free Software is to promote the Free Software
philosophy.

We'll start with an opportunity for informal key signing.  For an
explanation of what this is about see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_signing_party

The main part of the meeting will be a talk.

As a result of a discussion on the MFS mailing list about

	...ideas on how ethically to make a living from free software as a
freelance "computer guy" servicing local SMEs and end users.
	http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/fsuk-manchester/2014-07/msg00001.html

we are very fortunate that Des Gregory has agreed to give us a talk
based on his experiences of doing just such a thing.

"
Some years ago I set up a social enterprise to provide second hand user
PCs and laptops running GNU/Linux with installation and support. The
idea was that the 'model' for the business might be adopted and adapted
by anyone who was interested and had the skills or wanted to learn them
so they would be able to earn a living out of it.

I plan to cover (briefly) how it started out, what it became, and spend
a bit of time on some of the things I learned from it.

I hope to also cover how the market changed whilst I was doing this and
how an idea like this might pan out today.
"

Des is willing to adapt his talk if people want to hear about particular
bits in more depth or particular facets of his experiences so either
email fsuk-manchester-team at nongnu.org or post to
fsuk-manchester at nongnu.org with your requests.


After-meeting
-------------
The meeting will be followed by informal discussion and socialising in
the Common <http://www.aplacecalledcommon.co.uk/>.  There are soft
drinks available and there is no pressure to consume alcohol.

Location
--------
The meeting will be at New Federation House, details above.  The venue
provides wifi.

Parking
-------
Around the venue there are parking meter bays that become zero cost
after 8pm on Tuesday so you will have to pay up until then and the
maximum stay is 2 hours BUT MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY ALL THIS on parking.

There are paid parking lots around the venue, they are marked by a blue
P in this OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/53.4843/-2.2365>.  Most of those
parking lots are owned by NCP <http://www.ncp.co.uk/>.

If you can’t decide otherwise then park in Manchester Arndale
<http://www.manchesterarndale.com/directions.aspx>.

Public Transport
----------------
Manchester Victoria (MCV) train station, Shudehill tram and bus station,
and Manchester Piccadilly bus station are all fairly close to Madlab,
see OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/53.4843/-2.2365>.

Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) train station and Manchester Central Coach
Station are not too far away either.

More Information
----------------
Information about Manchester Free Software can be found on the
Manchester Free Software pages on LibrePlanet
<http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester>.

Regards,
Mike.
MFS Chair.

-- 
FSF member #9429
http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=9429
http://www.fsf.org/about
"The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide
mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all
free software users."

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